Chapter 2, The Awakening of a Foolish Girl

Before the words had left my mouth, the three children were already trembling in fear. The girl in the red dress pointed at me and said, "You... you, can you finish your sentence?"

I got out of bed and said to Yunxiang, "Do you want to travel far and wide in the future and see the world?"

Miss Guo Fu held her noble head high, accompanied by two wooden-headed attendants, and turned to leave

My second brother, Xie Zhaoying, I did not see this time. This handsome man is said to be a flirtatious character, one who spends lavishly to win smiles, often driving the esteemed Xie Taifu to the brink of a stroke. Later, after much difficulty, he became engaged, but my shy and timid future sister-in-law could not rein in his flirtatious nature, and he continued to indulge in reckless behavior, frequently visiting places of ill repute. I learned about all these matters later from the servants, as Madam Xie would certainly not share such things with me, a girl waiting in the boudoir; she merely mentioned that my brother was busy with affairs outside.

I have two elder brothers. The eldest, Xie Zhaoyu, is truly a remarkable figure; it is said that at a young age he has already become a master of calligraphy. He is very affectionate towards me, patting my head and saying: "Xiao Hua has improved, now our family will be harmonious and beautiful."

Yunxiang felt very confused: "Miss, we women should stay indoors and not go out casually"

It turns out that this Lady Xie is not my biological mother after all

When I heard that Zhang Ziyue was a monk in his past life, I couldn't help but laugh; but upon hearing that I cannot return, I felt like crying again

She kept shaking her head, "No... no, it's not hard, there's enough to eat, it's warm, just don't run around." It seems that this child stutters when she is nervous while speaking

I am like a bride forced into marriage before the altar, gritting my teeth and saying each word with blood and tears: "I do"

As they spoke, they walked into the courtyard

I am quite happy. While others fear marrying a fool, I have no desire to marry at all

This realization has left me utterly terrified. Am I dead?

Just as I felt I was about to be twisted into a Tianjin twisted doughnut by this force, my physical sensations suddenly returned. A chilling cold enveloped me, and water recklessly poured into my nose and mouth. For someone who grew up by the river, I instinctively paddled my hands and feet, striving to swim upstream

I am at a loss, the energy I had just now while scaring the children has completely dissipated. I sit down, holding my head, and although I have a new body, I do not know what to do next. It is autumn here, and as the wind blows, I shiver with cold

The girl in the red dress saw me climb up and let out a sigh of relief, saying to the boy next to her: "Look, she's not dead! My mother said that the more worthless a person is, the longer they live. She won't die so easily."

That voice sounded just like our counselor, and my reflex was: "Go!"

No, no! My aunt used to have difficulty expressing herself!

I laugh, Miss's boudoir, it is not about flowers and plants, but about nurturing the heart, which shows that the Xie family truly finds this foolish girl to be a headache

Miss Xie Zhaoke looked at me with her eyes that seemed to have been soaked in spring water, with a hint of starlight flickering within them. Her voice was also extremely melodious, like a yellow oriole emerging from the valley

A young girl in a light purple gauze dress gracefully stepped into the hall, and it seemed as if a beam of light illuminated the room

That person seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and murmured: "Your new body is that of the fourth daughter of the Grand Tutor Xie of Dongqi, Xie Zhaohua..."

This body, the body occupied by my soul, still has a very youthful voice

I have now transformed from Xie Huaimin into Xie Zhaohua, from a third-year student of Traditional Chinese Medicine into a young lady of fifteen, waiting in the boudoir.

A young woman interjected, "Mother, this child makes a valid point. Fourth Sister usually cannot complete a sentence, yet this time she spoke so fluently that it startled them. I find it truly strange. We should first find a Taoist priest to take a look."

It is truly lamentable that beauty, in its very essence, has become a commodity. It is offered by fathers and brothers in exchange for reputation, wealth, and power

The sound gradually faded away, and the surrounding mist seemed to dissipate somewhat. I looked down through the clouds and saw an unknown courtyard, neat and grand, with a rockery and a small pond, where several children appeared to be playing. Strangely, they all had their hair styled in double buns and wore cumbersome clothing. This attire clearly belonged to ancient times.

Upon seeing her appearance, a line of poetry automatically sprang to my mind: "If not seen atop the Jade Mountain, would we meet beneath the moon at the Yao Terrace?" My writing is quite poor, and I am at a loss for how to express myself. My intuition tells me that this girl is truly as beautiful as a celestial being, and no amount of adjectives piled upon her would be excessive.

When I awoke from the coma induced by the sensation of weightlessness, I felt as though I was floating in mid-air, without a physical form

I deliberately frightened them, spreading my five fingers wide, mimicking the posture of Mei Chaofeng, "Not only can I speak fluently, but I am also the Black Mountain Old Demon, coming down the mountain to catch children to eat, in order to cultivate the Great Magic of the Heavenly Demon"

Xiao Hua, you are much better now. This is truly wonderful

I was curious, and as that force diminished, I could see clearly that three children were throwing stones at a slightly older girl. The girl was disheveled and dirty; although she was afraid, her gaze was vacant, her speech was clumsy, and she could only utter sounds of distress, clearly indicating an issue with her intelligence

She clearly could not swim; after flailing about in the water for a while, her body gradually sank down and soon disappeared

Finally breaking through the surface of the water, I opened my mouth and made an effort to inhale air into my lungs

I said: "Yunxiang, you don't really believe Juan'er, do you? Do you think I am a monster?"

As long as we are not dead, that is sufficient. Big horse, little horse, let us go. Today is truly disappointing

Since I am no longer foolish and lack the talent for acting, I have decided to stop pretending. I cleared my throat and said as gently as possible: "The daughter has caused her mother concern"

Madam Xie said: "You sisters meet infrequently, so you may have forgotten; this is your third sister, Zhao Ke."

After they ran away, I stood alone in this courtyard, looking around in all directions

This so-called Eastern Qi state, judging from the clothing of those few children, is not from the Warring States period that I am familiar with

She shook her head vigorously, "Miss... Miss is not a monster"

The Xie family residence is quite large. I followed Yunxiang, turning left and right, passing through several beautiful courtyards, and after much effort, I finally arrived at a secluded courtyard marked "Yangxin Pavilion"

"What kind of Taoist?" That lady was displeased, "My husband detests those people from the three teachings and nine streams. Whenever they come, they always make the house a mess.

There is not a single part of my body that does not hurt. Especially the back of my head, I do not know where I bumped it, and there is still a buzzing sound in my ears. I never knew that being reborn could be so painful; no wonder children cry loudly when they are born.

I took a bath, and the minor wounds on my body stung a bit when they came into contact with water. Yunxiang brought over some ointment and applied it for me. Observing her skilled movements, it seemed that my injuries were a common occurrence for her. Upon closer inspection, I noticed there were still marks left from previous injuries on my body. I thought to myself that Xie Zhaohua was truly unfortunate; since I had already borrowed her body, I must take good care of it.

Xie Zhao Hua's biological mother was the cousin of Madam Xie. Due to her status as a concubine, she could only be a secondary wife in the strictly hierarchical society of Eastern Qi. However, the two ladies shared a bond akin to that of sisters and lived harmoniously together. Shortly after Xie Zhao Hua was born, the second lady passed away, and Madam Xie cherished this little daughter dearly. However, when Xie Zhao Hua reached the age of two, it gradually became apparent that she had cognitive issues and was naturally simple-minded. With no cure available, the only option was to keep her under care and support her for life. However, when Xie Zhao Hua reached the age of two, it gradually became apparent that she had cognitive issues and was naturally simple-minded. With no cure available, the only option was to keep her under care and support her for life.

The girl, struck by the stones and unable to evade, hurriedly climbed onto the artificial hill. The three children, undeterred, continued to hurl insults such as "idiot" and "foolish girl" while picking up stones to throw at her

The sister-in-law chimed in from the side: "Indeed, it was only at this moment that I noticed how handsome Xiao Hua is."

Yunxiang nodded eagerly: "Wherever the young lady goes, I will go too." I happily returned to bed. After all, that immortal said that I could not return to my original body for the time being, so I might as well enjoy this period of time, treating it as a vacation. On the first night after I crossed over to the Xie family of Dongqi, I slept particularly soundly. In my dream, Zhang Ziyue held a large bouquet of roses and affectionately said to me: "Minmin, marry me." I shouted that I was willing, I was willing, and excitedly rushed over to embrace him.

That voice finally grew impatient: "Miss Xie, please do not be so picky. We will temporarily take care of your physical body and when the time is right, we will send you back. For now, just find a shell to get by. I really do not understand why you mortals care so much about that physical form. I have been without a form for eight thousand years and have managed just fine. If it were not for the fact that in your twelfth generation, eight of your past lives were spent as nuns, devoted to Buddhism, we would not even bother to find you a temporary physical body today.

I joyfully said: "I swear, when I am free in the future, I will definitely traverse the green mountains and clear waters. Do you wish to accompany me?"

In such a situation, one cannot help but wonder how much foul water mixed with fish excrement has entered the stomach, which is a thought that is simply nauseating

I let out a cold laugh and said, "I told you to stop. What? You think you can just leave after putting me in this state, just by patting your backside?"

Xie Huaimin? Someone is calling me

Whose little brat is spouting such nonsense

I have no way to deal with her, "Just tell me whether you want to or not? To see the mountains and rivers described by storytellers, to walk through the places where heroes and martyrs fought. To receive some patriotic education, enrich knowledge and culture, which is beneficial for educating an outstanding next generation

Madam Xie seemed to be struck dumb, staring at me with wide eyes, her whole body trembling. The maids and old women behind her were all petrified, and only that Juan'er shouted: "Look! I told you that the little aunt was possessed by a monster."

I was first taken by the maid named Yunxiang to bathe and change my clothes

I crawled ashore using all four limbs, collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath, looking as disheveled as a drowned rat

I was about to go over with concern when suddenly a force pulled me, drawing me towards the pond. I screamed in fright, and then everything went dark before my eyes, feeling as if my body was twisted in an instant

Catching my breath, I begin to feel pain

The heavens have eyes; our Xie family has waited for over ten years, and we have finally seen your illness cured. When I arrive in the underworld and meet your mother, I will also have an explanation to give.

Is there still a need to ask? I, as a courtesan, am being chased and beaten by little brats all over the courtyard, let alone those servants.

Yunxiang is very sad: "The young lady's obsession has spread throughout the streets and alleys many years ago, and many families... so they do not come to visit..."

This statement is even more false than the lottery in Xi'an, yet Madam Xie clearly believed my words, her eyes welling up with glistening tears, sparkling as they shone. In ancient times, beautiful women were often delicate and fragile, so the old woman immediately came over to support her as she wept

I asked: "You all served me in the past, it must have been very hard, right"

I immediately asked: "How is Zhang Ziyue doing? Has my physical body been destroyed?"

All eight generations are nuns

Juaner and the big horse and the small horse are laughing behind.

She turned to look at my bewildered expression and said, "You probably can't remember many things, right? Don't worry, I will tell you all about them one by one"

Stop! I commanded with a single authoritative shout

Madam Xie showed considerable concern for me and came closer to examine: "Your hands are all scraped and bruised, what happened? You look like a little beggar"

Then the voice suddenly sounded again, affectively adopting a tone and saying: "Xie Huai-min, there is an error in the record of your fate; your life should not have ended. Now I offer you a chance for rebirth. Do you accept?"

Yunxiang listened, half understanding, and after a long time, she whispered, "I want to."

I was so angry that I scolded these children: "Stop it right now! Whose unfortunate child are you? Didn't your mother teach you not to bully the weak?"

Sister-in-law made a footnote beside: "Now our Zhao Ke is no longer lonely, right? Finally, there is someone to talk to."

Little Loli turned around and said, "What did you say?"

The maids below are also discussing this matter. Yunxiang told me: "Since the Crown Prince passed away, the Emperor's health has not been very good, and it is said that he has been seriously ill this year. The master and mistress originally intended to send the third young lady into the palace, but later decided to hold off for a while, considering that marrying her off to a suitable prince would also be acceptable"

However, the three children completely fail to perceive my presence. The girl in the red dress, who is leading, encourages the taller boy to climb up and pull the person down.

As we were speaking, a strange fragrance suddenly wafted in, reminiscent of orchids and jasmine, and I looked up in surprise. Madame Xie smiled and said, "Ke'er has arrived. Ke'er, come quickly to see your sister!"

Two big characters emerged in my mind: Guo Fu

Such a simple sentence, paired with her captivating expression, made me feel an exhilarating sense of smoothly passing the CET-4 and CET-6. No wonder directors prefer to cast handsome men and beautiful women in their films; it must be admitted that sometimes a good appearance speaks louder than a thousand words

I smiled gently and said, "Don't be so afraid. I won't make things difficult for you. Once I am better, you will no longer be looked down upon."

This is actually an extremely crude intimidation, and it is certainly not enough to scare my cousin's daughter into obediently going to sleep. However, those three children were indeed frightened into screaming, abandoning their weapons and armor, and hurriedly fleeing.

A petite girl hurriedly ran out, "Madam... Madam, please do not be angry. It is the servant... the servant who did not take good care of the young lady. I will take the young lady down... down to change her clothes."

The four children of the Xie family, apart from myself, are all born of Madame Xie, each inheriting her beauty. I perceive that the Xie family intends to send Xie Zhao Ke into the palace in the future

I quickly drafted my thoughts in my mind and spoke: "Just now, I fell into the water from the rockery. I don't know what I hit, but I suddenly felt my mind clear, as if the blindfold had been removed. However, the memories of the past years flashed by like smoke, and I couldn't recall them clearly. Mother, what has happened to me?"

Master Xie, around fifty years of age, has graying temples, a handsome and slender appearance, and clear, piercing eyes, embodying the traditional image of a respected scholar. My daughter, who has been foolish for over ten years, has recovered from her illness, yet he seems rather indifferent, merely offering polite advice for me to take good care of myself and to be filial to my mother

Because I had not yet reached adulthood, Yunxiang styled my hair into two buns. As I had just arrived and was not in a position to express any opposing opinions, I could only feel that I resembled a traditional New Year painting doll, full of simple rural charm

That voice urged me: "Quickly say, do you really want to or not?"

Unexpectedly, Xie Zhaohua has improved herself instead

Yunxiang seems to have not yet adapted to my return to normalcy, looking at me with a mix of surprise and suspicion. I smiled at her, and she trembled in fear, as if I truly might devour someone.

I sat up and glared at her coldly. The little girl, no more than eight or nine years old, was already adopting an air of superiority, giving orders as if she were an adult. I seemed to vaguely remember that she was the niece of the owner of this body

A middle-aged woman's gentle voice: "That was your little aunt teasing you."

Xie Zhaoke ignored her and took my hand to the side to engage in small talk

Yunxiang's eyes turned red all of a sudden, and she relaxed a lot, asking: "How did the young lady know that we were being bullied?"

What just happened was not a dream; I truly entered another body. The body of a young girl, one who is in a pitiable situation.

I never knew that I had such a deep connection with the Buddha

Madam Xie, having seen the world, was the first to regain her composure. She scolded her granddaughter, saying, "Don't talk nonsense." Then, she looked at me with a puzzled expression

At a glance, the surroundings were shrouded in mist, with no sign of any human presence.

The shy young girl beside her is named Bai Yan'er, and she is the niece of Madam Xie. Since childhood, she has been betrothed to the second son of the Xie family. Her mother has recently passed away, and she is residing in the Xie residence, waiting for the mourning period to end before marrying Xie Lao Er

The young girl screamed in fright, lost her footing, swayed her body, and fell from the artificial hill, landing with a splash in the water

At the forefront stands a woman in her forties, elegantly dressed and well-maintained, still dignified and beautiful in her middle age, reminiscent of a proud peony; one can only imagine how stunning she must have been in her youth. Beside her stands a slender woman in green, appearing to be in her twenties, with delicate features and a pointed chin. A little boy in red is nestled in her arms, and the mother and son both glare at me with deep resentment. Additionally, there is a charming young girl, seemingly around sixteen or seventeen, standing somewhat timidly behind the lady.

What about me

How old? Fourteen? Fifteen? Very thin, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, a straight and stubborn nose, and thin lips. There is a kind of unrefined beauty. However, she is still too young, showing signs of childishness. Her complexion is rosy, indicating that the Xie family has not mistreated her too much

The voice said: "Zhang Ziyue was the Holy Monk of Guoguang in his previous life. In this life, his fate and fortune are both excellent, so you need not worry about him. As for your physical body, it is not severely damaged, but you cannot return for the time being"

All around me was a chaotic scene, and a gentle force was pulling me towards a certain place. In my confusion, I felt as if I had become an angel, weaving through the clouds. I looked around, and I saw no one but myself. I had no way of knowing whether Zhang Ziyue was alright.

The little girl is shy like a snail, retreating into her shell at the slightest rustle of the wind or movement in the grass

After finishing the medication, Yunxiang took out a light green dress to change me into. At that moment, I fully understood why the women of wealthy families in ancient times needed attendants. Not to mention anything else, just the dress itself, with three layers inside and three layers outside, pulling one side would cause the other side to fall. Without one or two helpers, it truly would be a hassle to manage.

How can that be? If we return late, we will have to be cremated. Even if we crawl out of the coffin, it won't look very good

In the copper mirror, a young girl's tender face

Madam Xie led me to meet my father and brothers

As soon as Madam Xie saw me, she exclaimed: "Xiao Hua, how did you get completely soaked? What happened? Where is Yun Xiang? Why isn't she taking care of the Fourth Miss?"

Madam Xie was very pleased to see me dressed appropriately and came over, holding my hand, and said: "Xiao Hua has truly undergone a transformation, becoming a completely different person"

Madam Xie pulled me to sit beside her and began to recount her treasured stories

After finally getting dressed, I broke out in a sweat again. Now, I sit down to groom myself

The children on the shore were momentarily stunned, their three little faces turned pale as they looked at each other, realizing that they had gotten themselves into serious trouble

When Madam Xie cried, everyone joined in her tears, even my sister-in-law had to wipe her eyes with her sleeve. Madam Xie also instructed the steward to quickly inform the master and the two young masters about this joyful event

Just after sneezing, the sound of many footsteps came from outside the courtyard. The voice of the girl in the red dress was particularly loud: "Grandma, Juan'er did not speak incorrectly, both the big horse and the small horse can testify that the little aunt has indeed been possessed by a monster"